80 Silk Manufacture. 



smaller, and of a lighter green. The fruit, which is of a pale 

 gray color, is small, of a vapid sweetness, and of no value. 



' The Rubra, or red Virginia mulberry tree, differs but little 

 from the alba, except in the red color of its fruit. 



'The Tartarica, or Tartarian species, abounds on the banks 

 of the Volga and the Tanais. 



' The Papjjfera, or paper mulberry, differs from the other 

 species in having palmated leaves. From the bark of its 

 branches the Japanese prepare their paper. Its leaves are 

 also used as food for the silk worm, for which purpose the tree 

 is now successfully cultivated in France. 



' The two remaining species, the Tinctoria and Indica, are 

 not used for the nourishment of the silk worm.* 



' The mulberry tree is hardy, of quick growth, and easily 

 naturalized in all climates. The black species has always 

 been cultivated for its fruit in Europe. The white sort comes 

 from India, whence it has been introduced into all those wes- 

 tern countries which have attempted the culture of silk. 



'The respective qualities of the different species, as con- 

 nected with the silk worm, cannot be better pointed out than 

 by observing, that if leaves of the white, the red, and the 

 black mulberry be given at the same time to the insect, it 

 will eat first the white, next the red, and lastly the black, in 

 the order of the tenderness of the leaves. The Tartarian 

 seems to hold as high a place in its esteem as either the red 

 or black kind : all, however, give place to the white, which, 

 as it came originally from China, would appear to be its 

 most natural food. 



'Most writers on the subject affirm that the white mulberry 

 is always used in China, while some few assert that the Chi- 

 nese now feed their silk worms on the Tartarian species. 



' The white sort is generally planted for this purpose in 

 Europe, its leaves being more eagerly desired by the worms. 

 The trees of this species likewise possess the advantage of 

 coming into leaf a fortnight earlier than the black, for which 

 reason the eggs may be hatched earlier in the spring, and 

 the cares of rearing the insects are not prolonged too far in 

 the hottest season. The white mulberry tree is likewise of 

 quicker growth, is not so much injured by the constant pick- 

 ing of its leaves, nor is it, like the black, incommoded by a 



* Besides the above named species of the mulberry tree, there is one 

 which we believe, from recommendations, to be superior to all others 

 for the Culture of Silk. We allude to the Chinese Mulberry {Morus 

 Multtcaulis,) for a description of which see Vol. I. p. 315, Naturalist, or p. 

 21 Cobb's Manual on Silk. ED. 



